Torpedo-guard.



J. B. CRESSLER.

TORPEDO GUARD.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.24.1917.

Patented May 28, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- I. B. CRESSLER.

TORPEDO GUARD-, APFFICAITION FILED AUG.24| 19H.

Elk-$673830 Patented May 28, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- onto,

JOSEPH BRAINARD CRESSLER, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

TORPEIDO-GUARD.

Application filed August 24, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH BRAINARD CRnssLnR, av citizen of the United States, residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Torpedo-Guards, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide means by which ships may be protected against th attacks of torpedoes, and the torpedoes recovered if desired.

The invention consists of a torpedo guard adapted to be attached to the sides of a ship, and having an inclined member above which is arranged a substantially horizontal member provided with a series of cushions between which and the inclined member there are spaces of varying height to accommodate torpedoes of different diameter, the cushions affording suflicient resistance to hold the torpedo or capture it so that it may be recovered if desired; the guard being supported in an adjustable way so that it may be properly located in the water, in accordance with the draft of the ship, and also being so mounted as to be capable of being let down into the water as desired, and of being raised up out of the water and then turned up alongside the ship when not in use, as I will proceed now to explain and finally claim.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a top plan view showing one form of the invention applied to a ship. Fig. 2 is an end elevation with parts of the guard in section. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the support, drawn on a larger scale. F ig. l is a perspective view of a portion of one of the cushions.

The means for securing the guard on the sides of a ship may be of a variety of constructions, and are not shown herein, and so also the means for raising and lowering the guard may be of a variety of constructions, and similarly are not shown herein.

Referring to Fig. l the ship is designated 1, and the guards designated 2, and the guard supports, of which only two for each guard are shown, are designated 3.

Each guard comprises the inclined member at, which may be of any suitable construction and material, solid or of open work, and provided on its outer edge with a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1318.,

Serial No. 187,995.

buoyant or other member 5, such as an air chamber. 6 are brackets rigidly fixed to the member a, in a. substantially horizontal plane, and having arranged on their underside a series of cushions 7 preferably extending therefrom to different depths or otherwise arranged so that the spaces between the several cushions and the member 1 will be of difl'erent heights to arrest torpedoes of difierent diameter driven in between the member 4 and these cushions. These cushions should have such resistance afiording characteristics as to serve to trap or hold the torpedoes, thus not only preventing them from striking the ship but also serving to capture them and permit their recovery. One construction of cushions comprises a section of tubular material 8, such as hose, filled with air under pressure, and having their ends closed byplugs 9, or otherwise, and covered with a defensive cover 10 of metal or other suitable material, which serves also as a holder for the air-containing tube on the brackets 6, and also as a means for preserving the rigidity of the tube without impairing its cushioning effect. Any number of these cushions may be used on the brackets.

The inclined member 4: preferably has applied to its inboard end a fender rod 11 extending longitudinally thereof and projecting into the space between such member at and the cushion member to close the space against the passage of any torpedo that may escape the innermost cushion.

As already indicated, suitable supports adapted to be applied to the sides of the vessel may be employed and I have herein shown one such comprising a back-piece 12 slotted longitudinally at 13, and having the head 1th arranged substantially at right angles thereto. On this back-piece is arranged a slide 15 adjustably secured to it by means of bolts and nuts 16 or other suitable devices, and provided with a head 17 in which is arranged a screw 18 extending up through the head 14 and provided with a hand-wheel or other operating device 19 by which the screw may be turned so as to raise and lower the slide. 20 is a supporting angle hinged at 21 to the slide 15, and to which the inclined member 4 is rigidly fixed. The portion 22 of the supporting angle may extend out from the ship to any desired length so as toprovide for the location of the guard at a proper defensive distance from the side of the ship. The hinge 21 admits of the raising of the guard against the side of the ship when not in use; and as already stated, any suitable means may be used for so raising the guard and holding it when so raised. The adj'ustability of the guard supports admits of the proper location of the guard in the Water in accordance with'thedraft of the ship.

Fig. 2 in addition to showing the construction hereinabove described, shows also an auxiliary gin rd 23 which may be used, same consisting of a plate, net or other suitable means adapted to be suspended at the outboard edge of the member 4.

The guard supports will be such that when the guard isfolded up against the side of the Vessel, it will not materially obstruct the view from the deck. These supports will be made in such way as to locate the guard at the properfdistance relative to the ship both when in the water and out of it.

Details of construction are variable within the principle of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What'I claim is 1- 1. A torpedo guard for ships, comprising "a guar'dmember supported'at an incline, and a cushion memberrlgidly attached to and overlying the inclined member substantially horizontally, with its cushions facing the top of the inclined member.

2. A torpedo guard for ships, comprising a substantially rigid inclined member, and a substantiallv rig-id cushion member fixed to the inclined member and overlying the same ina substantially horizontal direction and thereby providing a series of spaces of different heights between the two in order to arrest torpedoes of different diameter.

3. A torpedo guard for ships, comprising a substantially rigid inclined member, a substantially rigid cushion member fixed to the inclined member and overlying the same in a substantiallyhorizontal direction and thereby providing a series of spaces of different'heights between the two in order to arrest torpedoes of diflerent diameter, and a longitudinally disposed fender interposed between the inclined member and the cushionmember at the most contracted space between the two.

i. A torpedo guard for shlps, comprising a guard member supported at an incline, a

cushion member rigidly attached to and overlying the inclined member substantially horizontally, with its cushions facingthe top of the inclined member and an auxiliary guard suspended from the outboard end of the inclined member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand thisQdth day of August A. D. 1917.

JOSEPH BRAIN ARD GRESSLER. Witnesses WM. H. 'FINGKEL, LiLLIE KEELER.

Copies 'of this patentmay be obtained fox-five cents eabh, by' addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington; D'. G. 

